


Rewrite the Stars

by GallifreyanHeroine



Category: Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:56:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28982241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GallifreyanHeroine/pseuds/GallifreyanHeroine
Summary: Anna finds herself far from home and alone. Finally completing her time at the Academy, she finds herself with new adventures and new family on board the Enterprise. Maybe five years off world wouldn't be so bad after all.
Relationships: Christopher Pike/Original Female Character
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

No matter how many of these functions Anna had to attend, it never got easier. She cursed her childhood dream of attending fancy parties with fancy dresses, glancing around surreptitiously before adjusting the strapless top of her gown. Granted, the dresses here always fit better than they had in her time, but it was a nervous habit. A passing tray caught her eye, and she nimbly took a glass, sipping slowly as she looked around. The Admiral next to her was droning on about Academy business with his peers, and frankly she couldn’t find it in her to care. She had finally graduated, was finally free of her responsibility to the man next to her. She was eager to get through the night; in the morning, her assignment to a starship would be sent to her, and she could finally go to the stars. Giving a quiet excuse, she moved away from the Admirals, headed towards the big bank of windows on the far side of the room. The view of the Bay at night was always something she found magical. Lights twinkled their reflections into the water, and the great shadow of the bridge loomed high above.

“It’s pretty impressive, isn’t it?” The deep voice next to her caused her head to turn, surprised she hadn’t noticed someone join her. The man was tall, handsome, and wore the dress uniform of a Captain. His hair was swept back, grey streaks working their way through the brown. His gaze was trained outside, and she turned her attention back to the water.

“More than I could have imagined. Four years and I still can’t get over it.” She kept her voice low, sipping her drink as he seemed to consider her words.

“Not a native then?” She snorted, quickly covering it with her hand and glancing around to see if anyone else had noticed, a few more giggles escaping. He looked down at her now, no judgement in his gaze; he seemed more amused than anything. Regaining her composure with a clearing of her throat, Anna shook her head.

“No, not a native in the least.” Thoughts of home invaded her thoughts, and she did her best to push them away. It didn’t matter now; this was her home.

“Where are you from then?” She hesitated, glancing to him before turning back to the Bay, thinking of the best possible answer. “Unless...that’s too forward?” He sounded unsure, and she shook her head, putting a smile on her face.

“I don’t often get asked that by strange Captains.” He smirked, offering his hand. She moved the champagne flute to her other hand, giving his a firm shake. His hands were incredibly warm, and this time her smile was a little more genuine.

“Captain Christopher Pike.” The flagship captain. The only ship she had mentioned as a request. Her cheeks warmed a bit and she nodded.

“Ensign Anna Howell.” He gave his own nod before dropping her hand, leaving it chilled by the air of the party. Turning to face the party more, she glanced up at him. “I’m from New York.”

“Ah. Well, I would think that big cities and fancy bays were normal for you.” She shook her head, smirking up at him.

“Upstate New York. The mountains.” She’d learned early on it was best not to give too much detail; things had changed so drastically since she had been home, her answers weren’t always acceptable.

“Apologies then.” He seemed to think for a few moments before tapping his finger against the glass of his flute, looking around the party. In profile, his jaw looked all the sharper, his stance somehow more straight. She already knew he’d earned that flagship; everything about him screamed command. He turned to her then, and she had to correct herself as she spied the mischief in his blue eyes.

“Would you like to take a walk, Ensign?” She gave a small smile, turning as she felt eyes on her. The Admiral was staring, and it didn’t seem like an approving one. Her smile faded, and she dropped her gaze to her hands.

“I’ll have to decline, Captain. Please excuse me.” She turned to retake her place beside the Admiral, pushing down her disappointment as she tuned out the conversation again. Despite the urge, she kept herself from looking back up at Captain Pike; she could feel his gaze, knew by reputation he was naturally incredibly curious. Anna waited until she noticed other officers beginning to leave the party, jumping on the opportunity. Excusing herself once more with excuses of rising early to find out her assignment, she set her glass aside and headed for the doors, careful not to seem overly eager until she knew she was far out of the Admiral’s sight. Grateful for the warm California weather, she slipped out of her heels, scooping them up and starting the long way back to her quarters. It was the perfect night to celebrate graduation; she could hear faint strains of party music and laughter from all over the campus, bringing a small smile to her face. At least some things never changed.

“Anna.” Surprised, she turned at the sound of her name, watching as Captain Pike jogged to catch up. She stopped her meandering pace to give him a chance, a small surprised smile on her face even as she glanced behind him to make sure the Admiral hadn’t also caught up somehow. The Captain gave her a smile and she started back on her way as he fell into step beside her.

“You know, I didn’t think I’d see the captain of the flagship run for anything less than life or death.” Her tone was joking as she glanced up at him, and he gave a chuckle. 

“What can I say? You move surprisingly quick.” Almost immediately, she slowed her already steady pace and he shook his head. “It’s fine, trust me. I can keep up.”

“Can you now?” Her tone was playful, and she began to relax. Something about his presence was soothing, and she was releasing tension she was sure she had been carrying since she got here. Turning her gaze back to the Bay, they walked quietly for a time before he spoke up again.

“I’m sorry if I got you in trouble with the Admiral.” His tone was softer now, genuine, and she waved him off.

“Won’t be the first time.” He turned to give her a look, brow arched. “The Admiral...sponsored me.” Though the story was well-rehearsed by now, it sounded like a question. Something about lying, or even telling half-truths, felt wrong. “Put me through the Academy, that is. Not without a lot of persuasion, of course.” More like fighting. Anna had spent far more time facing down panels of Admirals than she would have liked, and she was eager to be away from that for a while. 

“He didn’t want you to join?” The captain’s hands stayed behind his back, and for a moment she wondered if he maintained that rigid composure at all times. Her back hurt just thinking about it.

“A lot of people didn’t want me to join.” Her existence wasn’t exactly a secret or classified, but she’d found out her very first lecture it was best to keep it to herself; people acted weird once they knew the truth, and she just wanted to fit into her new home. “But, there was no power on this Earth that was going to stop me from making it to the stars.” She looked up, though she already knew she would be disappointed. The light pollution from the city kept the stars from her, save a couple of extra bright ones. Tomorrow she would find out just how far she would get to go.

“Can I ask you something?” Turning back to him, she nodded. “Aren’t you a bit...old to be graduating now?” She laughed, shaking her head; if he only knew.

“I am a bit older than my peers, yes. Late start, I guess.” She shrugged. Technically, she was only 30, but most graduates seem to be at this point by the time they reached 25. Still, she hadn’t been the only older student, though she highly doubted he was counting Vulcans. “Worried I won’t be up to the task?” It was asked innocently enough, but she was genuinely curious. The Admiral’s doubt in her skills had pushed her to excel, with help from her newfound friends. Captain Pike shook his head, a small smile forming.

“Not at all.” They walked in companionable silence for a time, and it wasn’t until they were nearly back to quarters that he spoke again. “Did you request any ships in particular?” He was terrible at hiding his real question: had she asked for his ship? Her stomach fluttered at the underlying cause for the question, and she focused on not letting her head go too far. 

“I did, in fact. A couple.” It was a lie, but she didn’t want him to think she was only spending time with him for the assignment. He nodded, and she could tell he desperately wanted to know which ones. “The Hiawatha, the Defiant-” she had briefly considered that one, if only to give a not so subtle hint to the Admiral “-and, of course, the Enterprise.” His face lit up just a bit before he worked to school it and she smiled. “Who doesn’t request the flagship? All the best missions, the most famous crew.” And, if rumor was true, the farthest she could get away.

“Well, maybe I can put in a good word.” They stopped just under the light outside her building, and she looked up at him as she shook her head.

“I think it may be a bit questionable for the captain to request an ensign he’s only just met.” The light formed a sort of halo around his head, and she was reminded of the classical paintings she’d seen as a child; maybe those artists had simply been short.

“You might be right.” They stood there a few more minutes before Anna cleared her throat, giving a small wave.

“It was nice meeting you. Thanks for walking me home.” He gave a smile and offered a hand, which she took and gave another firm shake. Turning, she headed inside, tamping down her excitement at his offer. If the Admiral saw the request from the both of them, she’d never hear the end of it. She didn’t even bother to take her dress off before collapsing onto her bed, exhaustion suddenly hitting like a brick. Tomorrow was a big day; she only hoped she got what she wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

Anna woke before dawn the next day despite the late night, exhaustion and excitement warring in her body. Dragging herself to the replicator, she ordered her uniform first, headed to the sonic shower. Of all the new technology around her, those two were her favorite; always the perfect way to wake her up. Pulling her uniform on, she ordered her usual coffee, pulling her boots on as the drink was synthesized. Scooping up the travel mug she always got it in, she headed out towards the commons, knowing the assignments wouldn’t have been posted yet. The sun was beginning to rise as she settled against a tree, pulling out her PADD to read. Slowly, the campus around her began to come alive; some people jogged past her, others trudging towards the mess. At 9am sharp, her PADD pinged, and her heart leapt into her throat. It was time. She opened the message, scanning it over quickly before jumping to her feet, excitement thrumming through her. She was on the Enterprise. 

Later that day, Anna stepped off the shuttle, looking around in wonder. The Admiral had never let her see a starship, keeping her earthbound. He couldn’t stop her now; it was more beautiful than she could have imagined. Realizing she was likely making a fool of herself, she moved with the other new recruits, listening when the First Officer gave assignments. Anna was relieved to hear she was assigned to a bio-bay, nodding her assent to the officer and heading there immediately. The room was warm, filled with a wild variety of plants. Slowly, she walked through, letting her fingertips brush against the leaves, noting the names and origins in her head. Towards the back, a riot of color greeted her; flowers, planted from all sorts of alien planets, alongside more familiar faces. Her grin widened; it was perfect. A throat cleared behind her and she turned to see a familiar face.

“Lieutenant Spock!” Unable to keep her excitement out of her voice, she approached him, halting a few steps away as she caught herself; she still worked to remember that Vulcans didn’t like contact, friendly or otherwise. Instead, she held her hand up in the traditional greeting, which he returned.

“I hope you are finding your work space adequate” His voice was the low, even tone of every Vulcan, but she could see a glint of happiness in his eyes. The Admiral had kept her close to him, leading almost all of her non-school contact to be with other Admiral’s and diplomats. Spock had made a point to talk with her if he ever happened to join his father, and she had seen him some on campus when she had just started and he was graduating. He wasn’t her closest Vulcan friend, but he was a friend, and she smiled even wider.

“Adequate? Spock, this place is amazing!” She turned to some of the more rare plants, studying them. “I’ve only seen most of these in pictures and holos. Now, they’re here and I can touch them.” She chuckled, turning to face him again. “Most of them, anyway.”

“I’m glad to see you are happy.” She nodded, tucking her hands behind her back. “I must return to the Bridge, but I wanted to be the first to say, welcome.” A small smile tugged at his lips, betraying his human half, and she gave a wide smile in response. The rest of her day was spent setting up her actual workstation, a desk towards the back of the large room full of plants. She replicated a few decorations for her desk before getting down to work, setting up a running catalogue of what was in her bay. There were three on the Enterprise, and the ship manifest list the contents of them all; she spent the first half of the day categorizing her own. She set the computer to play some of her music quietly in the background, and she hummed or quietly sang along as she worked. Soon enough, it was meal time, and she followed a couple other officers to the mess. Glancing around to find an empty seat as she approached the replicator, she grabbed her food before taking her tray to a window seat she had seen. Stars zipped past, and she realized they must have already started the 5 year mission.

“Hey.” She looked up from her reverie as a young engineer gave her a small wave. “This seat taken?” With a smile, she shook her head, and he sat with her. They made small talk as they ate, joined by two other newer ensigns from the science division. Anna was excited to make new friends; they all seemed friendly enough. The chair next to her slid out and she turned to see Spock take the seat next to her. Giving him a big smile, she introduced him to the others, who seemed shocked that she was already close to a Bridge officer. She kept conversation flowing, until the other ensigns were a bit more comfortable to carry their own conversations. Looking around, she took stock of her new crew, catching the bright blue gaze of a certain captain. She gasped, choking a bit on her food and coughing to clear her throat as everyone gave her a concerned look.

“Wrong tube. No biggie.” Her voice was hoarse as she waved them off. She knew she’d likely have to see him at some point, but she had been sure the captain got his own mess. She didn’t dare look up again, even as Spock gave her back a solid pat. Anna gave him a thankful smile as she drank some water, turning back to one of the other science ensigns to discuss their respective positions. She only felt the captain’s gaze for a little longer before she got up to leave, waving to her new friends and heading back to the bio-bay. Starting her music up again, she set back to work, going over each plant meticulously to see what care was immediately needed and set routines for the future. Humming along, she missed her visitor step in, nearly colliding with the gold uniform. 

“Oh, god, sorry sir.” She looked up to see Captain Pike, and gave a small smile. “Captain. To what do I owe the pleasure?” He gave a small smile, head tilted as he listened to her music. “Oh, sorry. Um, computer, pause music.” A chirp accompanied her request and the music cut off. “Thanks.”

“You thank the computer?” Anna shrugged, moving towards her desk to set down the PADD in her hand. It wouldn’t do for the captain to think she was slacking on her first day. “And you listen to old Earth Classical music. You are certainly a unique one, aren’t you?” She gave a non-committal shrug as she glanced over her shoulder, grabbing another PADD and moving towards the flowers. He followed as she made notes.

“Was there something I could help you with, Captain?” She looked up to him again, meeting his gaze.

“I like to take the time to personally welcome new crew. Especially on a long mission like this.” She nodded, setting the PADD down and gently leaning a hip against the planter. She felt a flower brush along her arm.

“Five years. Sounds insane on paper.” He mimicked her position, arms crossed against his chest.

“I’m sure it’ll sound even more insane after the first year.” He shifted a bit. “Glad to see my recommendation was considered for your placement.” Her eyes widened.

“You didn’t.”

“I did, actually. And before you yell at me,” he raised a hand as she opened her mouth to protest, “I did it after reading your file for myself. And after my science officer had already made a request of his own.” Spock had requested she serve on the Enterprise? A dumb smile crossed her face at the idea that her friend was so confident in her abilities. “Anyone Spock supports must have some serious skills.” Pike was giving her an unreadable look and she nodded.

“Spock and I...we’ve known each other awhile. However, he never mentioned he recommended me.”

“In that case, if he happens to ask, I didn’t mention it either.” They shared a chuckle, and she scooped her PADD back up.

“Well, far be it from me to hog the Captain’s time. You have quite a few new crew members to hit today, don’t you?” He nodded, standing up straight again and adjusting his uniform jacket.

"As you were then. And Ensign," she looked up, meeting his gaze, "if you need anything, please let me know." She gave a small smile and a nod, and then he was gone. Reactivating her music, she focused on work, hoping that she would feel less awkward the longer she was out here.


	3. Chapter 3

It only took a couple days for Anna to adjust to her new schedule. Very few people visited the bio-bays, and she found that the computer had a surprisingly extensive listing of “old” Earth songs she recognized. She had finally built herself a playlist, though every once in awhile the computer had a suggestion or two for her to consider. It was the first time she had felt fully comfortable; her new friends, Ensign Jeffries from Engineering, and Ensign Nirin from Astrometrics, were more than welcoming and didn’t seem bothered by her usually evasive answers about her past. Spock usually joined them for meal times, and every once in awhile she would make eye contact with the captain before they were again distracted by their table mates. Now, as Anna jammed to herself and carefully collected seed samples from one of the more toxic plants, she’d begun to feel at home.

“What is a ‘hollaback girl’?” She gave a screech and spun around to find the captain, head tilted as he listened. Heart pounding, Anna shook her head and straightened, moving to put what few samples she’d gotten on her desk.

“Computer, pause music.” The silence was somehow worse as he approached her desk. “Sorry Captain.”

“For what? It’s not as though it seems to be hindering your ability to perform your tasks.” He gestured to the seeds. “Are you going to answer my question?” Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall what exactly he had asked.

“Oh! A hollaback girl.” Anna laughed, shaking her head. “Um, I guess the best way to put it would be…” She had to think for a moment, had to figure out how to put it into his terms. He was fairly patient. “If you, or I guess one of your guy friends, catcalled a woman and she immediately responded pretty positively, no matter how gross the catcall was? That would be a hollaback girl.”

“So, you don’t take kindly to catcalls?” His tone was light and she gave a laugh.

“Not even close. Even if I was, not like I’ve had much chance to be out and about the last few years.” She sat down, pulling a microscope closer as he moved to stand near her shoulder. Her time with the Admiral had adjusted her to the feeling of being hovered over, of being watched. Pike’s presence, however, wasn’t stifling. It only took a few seconds for him to find another stool and drag it over.

“No wild Academy parties for you, huh?” Oh, she’d tried. Three times, in fact, each with a more elaborate escape plan than the last. She never made it past the door.

“Unfortunately, no. Only real regret.” Anna couldn’t regret going to the Academy itself; it had finally given her a modicum of freedom. She eyed the sample, a tiny laser helping to cut the seed in half.

“So, the old Earth music is how you cope?” She glanced at him, and he gave an amused smile.

“Actually, these are my favorite songs. It’s nice to have some familiarity.” She hadn’t meant to let that second part slip out, but he didn’t seem to notice the words’ true meaning.

“Yeah, we could all use a little bit of home to stay sane on a starship, huh?” Pike sat back, looking around for a few moments as she prepared and compared a few more samples. “Computer, play the most played song.” She spun to him, eyes widening as a deep bass flooded the room.

“Computer, stop playback!” The first lyric hadn’t even begun yet, but she knew it wouldn’t be something the Captain would approve of. He turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

“Not a big sharer, are you?” Anna felt her face go red, and she stood again, determined to find some other busy work. Pike followed. “Hey, wait, An-Ensign Howell.” She halted at the near-use of her name, turning to him slowly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pry, especially as it clearly makes you uncomfortable.” He seemed genuinely sorry, and she felt a small amount of guilt. It’s not like any of this was his fault.

“Computer, play playlist. Exclude explicit materials.” She didn’t wait to see what he thought of that before turning back to her work, pruning the Earth roses. Music once again flowed through the bio-bay. “Captain, I can’t imagine you came down here just to talk about music.” Or her past. He cleared his throat, and when he spoke again, his tone was entirely command-worthy.

“We have a new Class-M planet on long range sensors. I want you on the away team.” Her eyes widened, a shocked smile crossing her face. Her first alien planet.

“Really?” He nodded and her grin grew. “Of course, Captain, thank you! When should I be ready? I’ll need to get a kit put together…” Her mind was already racing with the list of things she would need to bring with her.

“Three days. I assume that will be acceptable?” Anna nodded eagerly, practically bouncing now. The Admiral had always kept her on Earth, and had even tried to tell her she wouldn’t be able to join any away missions once she was on a ship. Still, there was nothing he could do; it was an order from the captain, after all. “Great. You’ll be with me, Spock, and a security officer. See you then.” He gave one last smile before leaving, and Anna couldn’t help being bouncy the rest of her shift. She knew three days was technically a long time, but she prepped the bag for the planet anyway. Finishing faster than she would have liked, she sat back at her desk, thinking over the possibilities. It couldn’t come fast enough.


	4. Chapter 4

The day was finally here. It took everything in Anna not to run to the transporter room, keeping her pace somewhat even as she slung the bag over her shoulder. Everyone else was already there when she arrived, and she made eye contact with Spock, who raised a brow. Clearly, she wasn’t hiding her excitement as well as she thought, but she shook the thought away as they all stepped up onto the pad. Her heart was hammering and she reviewed what the sensors had told them about the planet. It had a fair amount of vegetation, which explained her presence, but no higher life forms that they had found. She almost missed the call to energize, and then suddenly she could feel the warmth of the sun, a breeze that wasn’t simulated by a fan. Blinking against the bright light, she looked around.

“Alright, spread out, but be careful.” The Captain gave the order as he moved one direction, leaving Anna to her own devices. A bright splash of color caught her eye and she moved to it quickly, pulling a tricorder out as she knelt next to the bright blue flowers. They were beautiful, with seven petals all in that bright blue, and a bright red stamen. She scanned it carefully to be sure it was safe, before pulling her kit out and taking one as a sample. She made sure to also grab a sample of the dirt, hoping the computers would be able to replicate it. She moved from plant to plant, gathering more samples. Nearby, she could make out the Captain and Spock talking as Spock took other samples and readings for the science teams on board.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Ensign so excited for an away mission.” Anna glanced towards them, seeing the Captain’s eyes on her. Spock spared her a glance before going back to his readings, clearly caught up in the data he was gathering.

“I would think anyone would be excited for their first time on an alien planet.” Turning away, she moved farther away, gathering more samples and feeling her way through strange new plants. The temperate climate meant they would likely end up in her bio-bay and she was already figuring out what sections she would plant them in. There was a slight drop ahead, and she peered down. It wasn’t all that far down, and there was a whole new type of flower that seemed to be thriving in the shade. Glancing again to the Captain and Spock, she sat on the edge and dropped down, hearing a telltale pop in her ankle before hitting the ground with a grunt. The throb in her ankle was familiar, and she cursed her luck. Carefully, she scooted over to the flower, taking the sample and the dirt before looking over her ankle. The swelling already looked worse than it probably was and she wasn’t excited for the lecture that awaited her. Looking up, she judged the distance back to the top at around 10 feet; she could make it back up, but it was gonna hurt. Shrugging out of her uniform jacket, she tore a strip off the bottom of her shirt, and briefly she wondered if crop tops were still a thing. Shaking the thought away, she made a makeshift bandage, standing slowly. She wouldn’t be able to put full weight on it, but it would do. Slowly, only using her injured ankle for basic leverage, she made her way back up the embankment. At the top, she clawed her way back up, drawing the attention of the others as she dragged her body over the edge.

“Anna!” Pike and Spock hurried over, helping her to her feet and looking her over. She gave a small laugh, doing her best to ignore the growing pain in her leg.

“That was farther than I thought.” Both men looked at her like she was insane, even as she waved their hands away. She kept her weight off her ankle, brushing the dirt from her uniform.

“What happened? Why didn’t you call for help?” Pike’s voice was concerned as Spock knelt down, examining her ankle.

“What? It’s not like I was-OW!” She hopped away from Spock and his probing fingers. Her ankle throbbed where he had grabbed it, and she glared. “Can you not? It hurts, ya know?”

“You’re injured?” Pike was already trying to hold her up again and she laughed as she waved him off. “How are you so calm?!”

“It’s a sprained ankle, Captain. Not like I’m bleeding out.” Spock stood, shaking his head even as the smallest of smiles tugged at his lips.

“We’re going back to the ship so you can get that looked at.” Ignoring her protests, the Captain moved under her arm, supporting her injured side. Anna gave a sigh.

“There’s no stopping you, huh? I could just walk.” He shot her a look and she shrugged. “Alright, limp. Sick bay will have it right as rain in no time.” He was already leading her away, calling for a beam up. He kept a hold of her the entire way to sick bay, and even then didn’t leave as they confirmed what she already knew.

“Ensign Howell, this looks like the ligament has severe damage. Has this happened before?” Doctor McCoy looked angry at her and she felt herself shrinking back.

“Yeah, loads of times. After the last time, my doctor said that the ligament likely isn’t elastic enough to do its job any more.” She shrugged, then shrunk back from the even angrier look on McCoy’s face.

“And you just never bothered to get it fixed?” She knew as CMO, he would have access to her full file; he should know just why she hadn’t gotten it fixed. She glanced to Pike across the room before leaning forward, dropping her voice low.

“Doc, given the nature of medicine where I’m from, can you blame me?” He blinked, seemed to remember just who he was talking to, and rolled his eyes, moving to get a tool.

“Well, let’s get it fixed now before we have to deal with it again.” Her heart jumped into her throat.

“I’m getting surgery? Now?” Both men looked at her confused as McCoy brought over a silver pen-like object.

“No, Ensign, you’re going to stay here for awhile and relax while a regenerator is used to fix the ligament.” Captain Pike stepped forward.

“Doctor, could we have a minute?” Anna and McCoy gave the captain a confused look even as McCoy stepped away, taking Nurse Chapel with him. “Anna, I’m gonna need you to be really honest with me.” She swallowed. It was a matter of time before he found out; would he feel like the Admiral did and ban her from future away missions?

“Okay…” Her voice was low as she looked up at him.

“Where, exactly, are you from?” His voice was incredibly serious, and she swallowed.

“Upstate New York. In the mountains.” The answer was automatic, the same she had been giving for years since her arrival. His gaze hardened.

“Where exactly?” Anna huffed, leaning back and dropping her gaze.

“Not where. When.” He was quiet and she took that as permission to continue. “I was born in 1995.” Looking up, she could see the shock in his gaze. “Before you ask, no, I’m not 250 years old. I actually am 30.”

“Then how…?”

“Your Section 31 brought me here. And, apparently, didn’t have the ability to send me home.” She dropped her gaze to her fidgeting hands. “Some insane experiment they did sucked me out of 2025. The Admiral was put in charge of me until they figured out what to do.” It had been awful, spending that first year in some secret facility. “Then, all of a sudden, it’s like Section 31 disappeared and they needed to do something with me. I fought really hard to get into the Academy.”

“Why?” Pike moved to sit on the side of her bed and she shrugged.

“Freedom. I’d heard so much about what had changed in the last 200 years and I have always wanted to see space, so this seemed like the best way.

“When Spock said that was your first alien planet, he didn’t just mean non-Federation.” She looked up with a smile, shaking her head.

“First ever. And it was amazing, by the way.” He gave a small smile, shaking his head.

“And the music?” She glanced up to see McCoy peeking out of his office, likely wondering what was going on. Realizing how it may look, she shook her head.

“Well, it’s not old to me. Not yet anyway.” Shifting a bit, she nodded towards McCoy. “I think the Doc wants to get this over with. He doesn’t seem too happy that I’ve gone this long without the ligament repair.” Pike glanced towards the medical officer, giving a chuckle and standing.

“This isn’t over, Ensign. I have quite a few questions.” There it was, that curiosity. And for the first time, it didn’t make her feel awkward or like a science experiment; it genuinely just seemed he wanted to know her situation better. Giving a nod, he left, and McCoy came over to grumble about messed up ankles. Anna sat back, closing her eyes and ignoring the strange feeling of having her ankle repaired, focusing instead on the idea that her captain didn’t seem to think she was a freak. Maybe it would be okay for people to know on board; they were all stuck together for the next three years after all.


	5. Chapter 5

The next few weeks proved uneventful, and Anna was beginning to think space was more empty than Starfleet had promised. The samples from the last planet were adapting well in their planters in her bio-bay, and tests had shown they were mostly harmless. Each day was simply caring for her newfound garden, with only the occasional visitor. They had just left another starbase a day ago, heading back into the big, black empty.

“Ensign Howell?” She looked up to see Captain Pike near the entrance, giving a small wave. Giving the command to have the music pause, she turned fully to give him a smile.

“Come in, Captain. What can I do for you?” He pulled up a stool, sitting with her at her desk as she took notes on the newest plants in her collection.

“Just coming by to say hi.” Anna looked up, giving a smirk.

“Even the Captain’s chair can get boring, huh?” He gave a shrug and a tilt of his head as answer and she laughed. “Well, I’m essentially gardening for the time being, but you’re welcome to hang around.” Turning back to her notes, she made a few last remarks before saving the file.

“Actually, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I asked about where you’re from?” He sounded incredibly hesitant as she turned to face him fully on her stool. Telling him about Section 31’s mistake had felt good, and she had honestly hoped he would have asked for more information sooner. Giving her warmest smile, she nodded.

“Go ahead. I’m an open book.” Pike seemed surprised, but shifted before starting up.

“What is it like? To be out of your own time?” Something about this question felt personal, and she shrugged.

“It was hard, at first. Technology had advanced so far, and frankly we weren’t sure in my time if we would ever be able to reverse the effects of climate change.” Her hands fiddled in her lap for something to do. “Some things are amazing. Medical science, space travel, replicators.” She chuckled. “Though, I do kind of miss being able to cook my own food.”

“You can cook?” Pike smiled, leaning closer to her and she gave a full laugh. 

“What else was I going to do?” He shook his head, muttering an ‘of course’ before seeming to think of a new question.

“Did you have a husband?” He cleared his throat. “Or, you know, anyone you were close to. Family, maybe.” The red she could feel spreading on her cheeks seemed to catch his eye. “Unless, that’s too personal.”

“No, no. It’s okay.” She shook her head. “Um, no significant others. My dad has passed the year before, and my siblings and I didn’t exactly keep close contact.”She’d wondered if they had looked for her, chalked her up to any number of missing people who were trafficked or killed by animals in the mountains. “Not the most exciting life to leave behind, but maybe that’s why I adjusted so well here.” She shrugged, trying to ignore the somewhat sad look on the Captain’s face.

“I’m sorry you had to lose all of that, Ensign.”

“Feels weird to call me by my rank when we’re discussing my ancient history.” Anna waved a hand. “I think, if it’s okay with you sir, I’d rather you just call me Anna for these talks.” Pike gave a smile, nodding.

“In that case, I think you can just call me Chris.” She gave her own smile and nod. “I won’t take up any more of your time, but I would like to talk again soon.” He stood and she stood with him.

“I’d like that, Chris.” His smile seemed to get a little brighter and she walked him out, left to her own little corner of the ship and a too-big smile on her face. It was nice to have someone ask about her, not just the science experiment that had dragged her there. It made her feel...human.

The rest of her shift passed smoothly, and she made her way to the mess. Dinner was always quieter; lots of people preferred to take it in their quarters. Several empty tables sat along the window, and she brought her food over to the farthest in the corner, settling in and pulling out her PADD to read. Finding out that essentially all books ever written were free to read had been a huge plus, and she’d spent the last few years catching up on 250 years of missed literature. This was her favorite part of the day; Starfleet clearly knew downtime was important, and while she had a fairly short lunch break, her off time from the lab was surprisingly long. A throat cleared above her and she looked up to see the captain.

“Mind if I join you?” He held a tray of food in his hands and she gestured to the open seat across from her. Settling in, he took a sip of his drink before nodding to her PADD. “Working late.”

“Oh, no. There have been so many books written since I...left. I’m just trying to catch up.” She set the PADD aside, hoping to be polite.

“That is quite a lot of reading. Do you have any favorites?” Anna nodded, taking a bite of her food. “Anything from this century?” His tone was joking as he took a bite of his own food, and she chuckled.

“Yes, actually. It’s apparently originally in Klingon? But I had the computer translate it for me.” He nodded as he swallowed, eyebrows high. “I know, not exactly what everyone was expecting from the old woman on board.”

“Well, can I just say, you don’t look a day over 150.” They laughed together, and she looked out to the stars shooting past. There were a few moments of silence while they ate. “What is it like? To see space from your eyes?” He was looking at her, his gaze earnest. Anna took a minute to think over the best comparison.

“It’s...easily the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.” Her voice was soft as she looked up, meeting those striking blue eyes. “Space travel was a dream in my old time. The idea that I’m here, on a starship, among alien peoples and visiting other planets…” Anna trailed off, taking a moment to handle the growing feeling of amazement in her chest. “I can think of no greater place I could ever be than here.” Pike’s gaze had softened, the smallest of smiles playing at his mouth, and she blushed. “But, um, yeah. Space is pretty great.” She turned back to the stars, more than aware of his gaze trained on her. “Hey, so, do I get to ask personal questions too?”

“Seems only fair.” He’d moved back to eating his food, and she took her own bite.

“Where are you from?”

“California. The Mojave.” She nodded, finishing up her food. They spend another hour together, getting to know each other beyond the uniform, and Anna counts herself lucky to have found herself on such a wonderful ship. They part ways for the night, and she can’t help but hope that maybe they’ll have that more often.


	6. Chapter 6

Anna wasn’t sure how she had let Ensign Jeffries convince her to join the engineering team for drinks, nor was she sure how it had taken three drinks to realize Scotty was definitely not serving synthohol. Her head was swimming in a way she hadn’t felt since she’d arrived, and she’d convinced Scotty to drop her a line the next time he was able to get some. Now, well into the night shift, she shuffled through the darkened halls, eyes darting to avoid anyone else. It wasn’t that being drunk was against the rules, necessarily; she was off-duty, after all. Still, it seemed that Starfleet could be a bit uptight when it came to certain things, and she didn’t want to get into trouble. She squinted, looking both ways up and down the corridor. She was only about 50% sure she was on the right floor; all the damned corridors looked the same. A few minutes later and she couldn’t get the door code right. Pressing her forehead against the door, she savored in the coolness of the metal.

“Computer, please open the door for me.” She was careful to keep her voice down, though she did hiss out a little ‘yes’ once the doors opened. It was dim inside, with a single lamp on above an armchair. Her eyes met Captain Pike, who looked confused and concerned.

“Ensign?” He stood slowly, and she tilted her head.

“Captain, why are you in my room?” He looked her over before seeming to relax, taking her arm and leading her to a couch on the opposite wall. “This isn’t my couch…” Realization crossed her features, and she sprang up, tipping dangerously towards the table as her head swam. “Oh my god, I am so so sorry, Captain.”

“Shh, it’s fine.” He took her arm again, gently pulling her back down onto the couch. Shamed colored her cheeks red and she buried her face in her hands. “I’m going to guess Scotty got to you.” Peeking out from between her fingers, she gauged whether he was angry or not as she nodded. Chris gave her a small smile, moving to his replicator and bringing her a glass of cold water. “He’s gotten to us all, Anna. Don’t feel too bad.” She took a large gulp before setting the glass on the table.

“I would guess most people don’t break into the captain’s quarters, though.” She looked around, taking in what little she could see in the dim light. It was certainly bigger than her quarters; she would have defined it as more of a suite.

“No, I can’t say they do. You’re certainly the first in my time in command.” He gave a chuckle as she leaned back, rubbing her hands into her eyes.

“How are you so… happy?” There was a silence from him and she chanced a peek up at him.

“I’m not sure happy is the word I’d use. I was worried, at first, that something must have been seriously wrong for you to come directly to my quarters without a head’s up.” He sat back more, one arm draped along the back of the couch behind her. “But, knowing the stuff Scotty tends to pick up on leave, I’d say I’m just lucky you found my room and not an airlock.”

“Hey, give me some credit.” She gave a throaty laugh, shifting to kick her boots off and tuck her legs under her. “I like to think I’m not that dumb.”

“I don’t think you’re dumb at all, Anna.” She turned her head, cursing the swimming sensation in her head as she looked at Pike. This was closer than she had been to the man since her ankle injury. He looked down at her with a small smile, the barest hint of a twinkle in those blue eyes.

“Anyone ever tell you you have really pretty eyes?” She murmured the question, staring up at those eyes. Slowly, her body slid until she was pressed up against his side, pressing her lips together as she continued. “They’re so blue. Bluer than my uniform or the nacelles. Like...home. The sky.” She knew she was beginning to ramble now but there was nothing she could do; curse Scotty and his illicit alcohol.

“I think...you need to get some sleep.” His own words were murmured, though he made no immediate moves to rise from his spot on the couch. “I think you’re gonna have one hell of a hangover tomorrow.” Anna hummed her assent, standing shakily and doing her best to scoop up her boots. Pike was at her side, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her steady. “I’ll help you get back.” She gave him a big smile and let him walk her out of his quarters and down two decks to her own quarters. They didn’t run into anyone, and soon enough he was lowering her to her bed. She hummed, stretching as he pulled her blanket over her.

“You’re so nice, Chris. So nice.” The comfort of her mattress was already dragging her down into sweet, sweet sleep, and she almost missed him leaving.

“Goodnight, Anna. Sweet dreams.”

The next morning was hell. 

Anna woke with the driest mouth she had ever experienced and a headache that could rival any concussion. Leaving the lights off, she got ready for her shift, practically dragging herself into the sonic shower. A little more awake but still in pain, she stepped out and was surprised to see a glass of water and two pills by her bedside. Taking them quickly and downing the glass of water, she racked her brain to go over the events of the night. She had just ordered her coffee from the replicator when she remembered just who had brought her safely back last night. 

“Oh, you giant, idiotic, stupid bitch!” She growled to herself, snatching the coffee and ignoring the slight pain from gulping the hot liquid. She spent far longer than she liked locating her boots before finally making it out the door, squinting against the harsh lighting in the corridor. Grumbling to herself about her own dumb ass, she headed straight for the bio-bay, easily finishing the coffee before she even arrived. Once a second cup sat steaming on her desk, she got to work, keeping the music off and the bay as dim as could be allowed for her plants. The quiet was helping her headache, as well as the painkillers Pike had left her, and she spent the morning kicking herself. Lunch came soon enough, though she wasn’t sure she could actually stomach anything. Still, she made a bowl of tomato soup and sat at her usual table, surprised that her usual companions had beaten her and already in a very heated debate. Spock glanced to her with a raised brow and she waved a hand, not wanting to get into it. She ate slowly, feeling eyes burning into the back of her head and knowing exactly who they belonged to. She couldn’t bring herself to look at the Captain now; not after what she had done. Returning to her dim bio-bay, she found that her headache was mostly gone, and set the computer to play some gentle tunes she had saved.

“Ensign Howell.” She flinched at the familiar voice, not willing to turn around, as she looked to the ceiling. Did he really have to come down here? He couldn’t just...ignore her very existence for the rest of the five year mission until he transferred her. It was clear he wasn’t going away, so she turned slowly to face him, unable to look him in the eye.

“Sir, I just want to say how very sorry I am for my behavior last night. It was beyond the pale and I can’t imagine anything worse I could have done. I am so so sorry.” She finally met his gaze, hoping she could convey her feelings to him. He was quiet for a few moments before sitting on the second stool, his hands folded in front of him. He didn’t seem angry; then again, she had never seen him angry, so she had nothing to compare to.

“I came to see if you were alright.” His voice was soft as he studied her. “Though, I appreciate the apology. If anything, I’m glad to know you spent the night safe as opposed to out an airlock.” He gave a small smile and she shook her head.

“You’re not going to transfer me?” His own brow furrowed, and he leaned towards her a bit. 

“If I transferred every crewmate who got drunk and did something regrettable, I wouldn’t have much of a crew.” His gaze took on a calculating look. “What do you remember about last night?”

Breaking in. Commandeering his couch. Making herself right at home curled against his side and droning on and on about his eyes.

“Not much.” It felt bad to lie, but there was no way she would admit to everything that had happened; that would go with her to the grave, if she had anything to say about it. She could have sworn she saw the briefest flash of disappointment before he leaned back again with a nod.

“Well. Maybe you’ll have a better experience on shore leave.” Her eyes widened.

“Shore leave?” He nodded, gesturing to her PADD. 

“We sent notifications to everyone. Starfleet believes in a decent schedule of off-time on long missions like this. We’ve found a suitable, friendly planet with a people eager to join the Federation, perfect for shore leave.” Pike stood, adjusting his jacket, and she looked away, back towards her work. “And Ensign?” She looked up again, caught by that bright blue gaze. She could feel her cheeks heat. “Stay safe.” She nodded and he left her to her own thoughts. Maybe shore leave was exactly what she needed.


	7. Chapter 7

Shore leave was going to be one week long on the planet Talletis, a lush Class-M planet that resembled more of Earth’s tropical regions. The crew was buzzing the day before arrival, everyone making plans, but none quite as fervently as Anna. Six years of being cooped up had left her stir crazy, and she was excited to just be out. She’d packed a bag with civvie clothes and several swimsuits, having heard of several beautiful beaches she was dying to visit. Transport from the ship was done either via shuttle or in teams in the transporter; Anna had opted for transporter, wanting to be off the ship as quickly as possible. Stepping up onto the pad in a sundress and sandals, she smiled at Ensign Jeffries as they beamed down to the hotel.

Given how crazy Anna planned on getting, she opted to get a room to herself, depositing her bag on the bed and stepping out onto the balcony that looked out over the water. If this was their idea of convincing the Federation to let them join, she was all for it. Taking a deep breath of sea air, she contemplated what her first adventure would be. Getting changed out of her uniform, she snagged a PADD with a list of activities that had been provided. There was a hike on a trail that was supposed to lead to a beautiful waterfall, and it would have her back in time for dinner. Going that route, she headed off, stopping every so often to make note of the plant life around her. The falls had been beautiful, and the hike easy, and she wondered at what they might look like come nightfall. Her return was even quicker, and she stopped in her room to shower and change into another sundress before heading down to the restaurant. 

“Anna!” She turned to see Ensign Jeffries waving her down and she moved to sit with them. A waiter took her order, before leaving them to discuss their first day. She mentioned the waterfall, though kept her nighttime plans to herself, and invited them to join her on the beach the next day. Most declined, except Ensign Nirin, who agreed to meet in the afternoon. Anna planned to enjoy part of this shore leave by sleeping in one or two days. Dinner passed easily, the food amazing, and she helped herself to a glass of wine or two. Movement near the door caught her eye, and she saw Number One, the Captain, and Spock enter the dining room. She waved, not surprised when Spock refused to wave back. She was surprised, however, when all three headed their way. The other Ensigns looked nervous as the commanding officers approached, and she quietly told them it was alright.

“Ensigns Howell, Jeffries, and Nirin. A pleasure to see you all.” Spock’s greeting was about as warm as it was ever going to get as he took the seat next to Anna, the captain on his other side and Number One beyond them. The Ensigns gave a quiet hello, clearly still nervous, and Anna stepped in. 

“You guys caught us right at the end, but I don’t mind stretching my dessert out to keep you company.” She gave a warm smile, then turned to the other Ensigns. “You guys can go on ahead without me, I can always catch up later.” Though they hadn’t made any plans together, she knew the two of them were going to some sort of party; with muttered excuses, they hurried away, causing a chuckle from Number One.

“Ensigns are always so nervous. It’s kind of endearing.” The other woman turned to Anna. “Present company excluded, of course.”

“Well, one could never feel nervous with such lovely Bridge officers when they’ve spent years dealing with the grumpiest Admiral in Starfleet.” That earned a collective chuckle from all, including Spock, and she counted it as a victory.

“So, what plans are we keeping you from?” The Captain’s tone was politely curious, and she took a minute to answer. 

“Honestly? Nothing really. But I didn’t want everyone to feel uncomfortable, and it seemed rude for all of us to leave just as you arrived.” In fact, it seemed there were very few Starfleet crew left in the restaurant. The waiter came by to get the other’s orders, and she asked for a dessert menu to peruse for a bit as well as another glass of wine. She could feel Pike’s eyes on her as the glass was brought, and she took a slow sip.

“How is the wine, Anna?” It was rare for Spock to use her name, but she found she liked it. As they discussed the wines, it seemed the Captain and Number One spent some time discussing the meetings they had likely had with whoever was in charge here. Their food came quickly, and she ordered something that she was sure was close to ice cream. Conversation flowed easily as the sun dipped below the horizon. The sunset was spectacular, and perfectly visible from the restaurant. Anna watched it with her chin in her hand, slowly eating ice cream as she took in the sheer beauty of an alien sunset. The waiter came to claim their dishes, and she stood to go.

“Hot date?” Number One gave her a grin and she shook her head. 

“I wish. Night hike.” Pike’s eyebrows rose and she waved off the concern she already knew was coming. “It’s a marked trail and I already walked it once. I’m just...getting my fill of the place.”

“I know you do not need the protection, but would you mind if I came with you? I am...curious.” Spock’s request was as formal as ever, but she knew he genuinely wanted to look around. Under that Vulcan exterior was an endless well of human curiosity. She nodded, smiling.

“I’d like that. You wanna get changed and meet me at the hotel entrance?” He nodded, already standing and excusing himself. Number One also stood, stretching.

“Well, I’m going to go enjoy the massive bathtub in my room.” Nodding, she left, leaving Anna with Pike. He stood slowly, looking a bit unsure.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” His concern was genuine and she nodded, not quite meeting his gaze. 

“Spock will definitely be all the protection I need. Besides, this place is a paradise. I highly doubt there’s some supervillain waiting for me at a waterfall.” He gave a small smile and looked away.

“Well, um...I’ll be in my room. If you guys need anything.” It occurred to her then: no one ever invited the captain anywhere. Likely some crap about propriety and keeping a professional distance. But they were people too; it wouldn’t hurt to include them.

“You know, if you wanted to come along, you only had to ask.” She gave a small smile as he turned back towards her, a sheepish look on his face. “But, since you couldn’t, I will. Captain Pike, would you like to see an awesome waterfall at night with Spock and I?” His smile grew a bit as he gave a quick nod. “Well, better get changed. That uniform is going to get uncomfortable.” He left with a grin and she rolled her eyes before heading to the lobby to wait. Though Spock had a head start, both men arrived at the same time, both in shorts and t-shirts. She had never seen Spock in anything so informal, and did her best to hide her giggles.

“I fail to see the humor in my outfit.” He glanced between Pike and Anna, and she realized he must have already said something. Schooling her features, she gestured for them to follow her.

“I think your outfit is perfectly appropriate for this trip.” He gave Pike a somewhat smug smile as they headed out. They joked as they headed to the trail, but Spock’s communicator interrupted them. He stepped away to answer it, and the other two watched. He seemed distressed, ending the connection and turning to them.

“I’m afraid I cannot join you. I must head back to take a call from...my mother.” He looked a bit shamed and she waved him off. 

“Don’t worry about it, we can go another night. Go check on her.” Anna gave her best reassuring smile and Spock hurried away, leaving her with Pike. “Any last minute excuses to get out of this hike, Captain?” Her tone was playful, and he gave a smirk.

“You’re stuck with me, Ensign. Lead the way.” Turning, she started down the path. It was just wide enough for them to walk side by side, but they were close enough to have their hands and arms brush against each other. Anna was careful to keep her focus on the trail, and soon they broke through the trees to the clearing that held the waterfall. As she expected, it was absolutely beautiful in the light from the two moons. She moved towards the water’s edge, staring up at the falls themselves. A hand caught her arm, holding her back from going too close to the edge; she turned to give Pike a smirk.

“Worried about me?” He gave his own, stepping closer but not releasing her arm.

“We don’t need another injury, do we?” He was incredibly close now, and her breath caught in her throat.

“I suppose not.” Her reply came out breathier than she would have liked, and she swallowed convulsively. His gaze dropped to her lips, and she knew his thoughts before her own. He was going to kiss her. Was she going to let him? It felt like a million thoughts crossed her mind before she felt her eyes drifting shut, the gentle brush of his lips against hers. The chime of a communicator made them jump apart, both red faced as they pulled theirs out. It was Anna’s; she stepped away to take it, pinching the bridge of her nose when it turned out to be a call from the Admiral. Of all the people to ruin the moment. She said she would take it in her room, hanging up before anything else could ruin her night, before turning to Chris. He was staring at her, confusion warring with something else in his gaze. She wanted to ignore the call, pretend it hadn’t happened, but she knew the rules. Knew how much trouble they would be in.

“I’m sorry, I-” she shook her head as she backed up towards the trail “-I have to go.” She hurried away, ignoring the single time Chris called her name, berating herself for letting things go so goddamned far. Heading straight to her room, she braced herself for whatever crap the Admiral was going to have for her. What a start to what was supposed to be a perfect vacation.


	8. Chapter 8

“Is there a reason you felt the need to interrupt the first day of my shore leave?” The Admiral’s face was twisted into a scowl, a PADD in his hand.

“You went on an away mission.” She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her. She was getting pissed now.

“Yes, on orders from my captain. Anything else?” She could see him puff up with rage and help up a hand. “Spare me. I’m not some kid, and I’ve clearly been considered benign by Starfleet and the Federation. I’m obviously just human, so I don’t need you breathing down my neck anymore.”

“Just who do you think you are talking to, Ensign?” His face looked red even in the holo, and she scoffed.

“Don’t try and pull rank now. You’ve been insufferable since I got here. I don’t need a babysitter and I certainly don’t need a prison guard.” The Admiral opened his mouth and she cut him off. “End transmission.” The holo blinked away, and she ran a hand through her hair roughly. So much for relaxing on this vacation. Her door chimed and she groaned, moving to answer it. “Listen, I’m not really in the mood-” the door opened to reveal Chris, looking a bit sheepish as he stood outside. Wordlessl, she waved him in, closing the door behind him and collapsing onto the nearby loveseat, hands over her eyes.

“I take it that wasn’t a social call.” Chris sat next to her, and she sat up properly, rubbing her hands down her face.

“I don’t think that imbecile knows the meaning.” His brow arched as he seemed to fight a smile, and she shook her head. “I’m sorry, I definitely shouldn’t be lashing out at you.” Turning to face him fully, she gave a small smile. “I may not be the best company at the moment.” He nodded, an arm across the back of the loveseat that brought her drunken night to the forefront.

“I actually came to apologize.” Her brow furrowed, and his face turned a bit red. “For the, um, waterfall…” The near kiss. The one real highlight to her night, and he regretted it? “I put you in an unconscionable position and I want you to know it won’t happen again.” It was too ridiculous; she gave a sharp laugh, standing and beginning to pace.

“Unbelievable.” She glanced to him. “I know Starfleet’s rules for fraternization are strict, but I would hope you would at least consider the fact that what happened worked both ways.” Shaking her head, she moved to call down for room service. “I need, like, several drinks.” Pike followed her, stopping her hand on the button.

“Wait, wait.” She looked up and he had a goofy smile on his face. “Are you saying you wanted me to kiss you?” Pulling her hand away, she gave him a skeptical look. 

“Damn, am I that bad at sending signals? I gotta work on that, I guess.” Studying him for a moment, she considered everything. The Admiral was likely already trying to find a way to bring her back, maybe even to court-martial her for insubordination; her incredibly handsome captain was here in her room, trying to apologize for a kiss that didn’t even get to happen. Did she really have anything to lose?

“I think maybe I’m just bad at receiving them.” He pressed close again, hands on her arms. It hit her then; the Admiral would ruin them both if she let this continue. Suddenly, all her anger was gone, replaced with a deep sadness. There was no one she could risk getting close to in Starfleet, not without nuking their careers just for proximity to her. Slowly, she put her hands on his chest, pushing lightly.

“I can’t.” He looked confused and concerned, pulling back a bit to look at her properly. She knew her face likely showed the sadness she felt at her revelation.

“Anna?” His voice was soft. “If it’s Starfleet you’re worried about, we can file the paperwork if you want. Get it squared away before we do anything.” She shook her head, pressing her lips together as the loneliness moved back in. “If you just tell me what you’re worried about, I can help. Is it the crew? Your friends?”

“It’s you.” Her voice was as broken as her heart was and she gently pulled out of his arms. He held onto her wrists, like he was afraid to let go. “Your career. I can’t-” The lump in her throat choked off her words.

“My career?” He looked confused now, looking over her face before realization colored those striking eyes. “The Admiral.” She gave a nod, dropping her gaze to his chest. To her surprise, he pulled her into a hug, rubbing a hand along her back. “Listen, I’m not sure what kind of power you think he has, but he would have an exceptionally hard time trying to ruin my career.” His deep voice resonated against her as he held her. “Not to blow my own horn, but I have an exceptional track record.” She could hear the humor in his voice, knew he was trying to cheer her up. She took a deep breath, trying to get her emotions under control.

“I’m just...so sick of this!” He pulled back to look at her. “I just want to be left alone. To be able to be my own person.” Anna shook her head, running her hand over his chest. “I want to at least have a chance at happiness if I’m going to be stuck here the rest of my life.”

“You deserve happiness.” His voice brought her back, a hand brushing along her cheek to catch tears she hadn’t known had fallen. “Everyone does.” She gave a small nod, and he pulled her towards the loveseat, sitting and pulling her into his lap. Something about his presence was comforting; the fact that he treated her like anyone else, like a person with feelings and dreams. Resting her head on his shoulder, she allowed him to calm her, rubbing a soothing hand over back in circles.

“You know, when you set up this shore leave, I’m sure this is the exact opposite of what you were hoping for.” Her voice was quieter, and she felt the rumble of his chuckle under her head. 

“Well, I have to admit I was hoping to maybe get a bit closer with you, but I think I was picturing something more along the lines of 3-D chess maybe? Or a couple of dinner conversations.” His lips pressed into her hair and she let her eyes close. “It may not be exactly according to plan, but things rarely are for me. If I had to be anywhere, I’m glad I could be here to help you.” She shifted carefully, not wanting to hurt him as she looked up at him, giving a small smile.

“Thank you, Captain.” He gave a warm smile.

“Chris. Now, let’s see if we can’t salvage some part of this night.” Slowly, he stood, scooping her into his arms and depositing her on the love seat. A screen sat across from the bed, and she watched as he began flipping through the available movies. Choosing one, he turned to her again. “If there’s one thing I do know, it’s that you probably wanna clean up a bit. I’ll wait here.” She nodded, headed into the bathroom. Between her red eyes and tear streaks on her cheeks, she couldn’t imagine how he had possibly stuck around. She washed her face carefully, not wanting to make any of the redness worse, and let her hair down, fluffing it around her shoulders. Stepping back out, she found him stretched on the bed, back pressed against the headboard with the holo ready. Giving a small smile, she climbed up next to him, setting into his side as he raised his arm for her. It felt so good, this little bit of affection, and it occurred to her just how touch-starved she had become since she’d arrived in this time.

“Thank you, Chris.” Though soft, her voice sounded infinitely better, and he kissed the top of her head. He started the holo, and she barely made it halfway through before dozing off.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Anna woke with a headache and a fair amount of confusion. She tried to sort through her memories of the night before, trying to figure out what had been real and what had been the product of a tired, overworked mind. Shuffling to the bathroom, she got her day started, pulling a two piece swimsuit on and looking around the room. Chris wasn’t here, but there was a note on the side table that she scooped up.

‘Had an early meeting. I’ll catch up with you later. - Chris’

She smiled, setting the note aside and grabbing a towel and sunhat. Jeffries and Nirin would likely be waiting for her down at the beach and she replicated an iced coffee before heading out. Her friends were goofing off in the shallows with some other ensigns, giving her a wave as she arrived. Waving back, she found an unclaimed lounge chair, trudging through the sand to sit down. The sun was the perfect temperature, and she tilted her face towards the sky with a small smile for a few moments before getting settled and stretching out. Her hat kept the sun out of her eyes directly, and she pulled out her PADD, pulling up her most recent read. Today was her relaxation day; tonight, a bunch of the crew wanted to check out a local nightclub, and Nirin had practically begged her to come with. It could be fun, and after last night, Anna felt she had earned some fun. Jeffries, Nirin, and the others spent a few hours in and out of the water, playing beach games she had never heard of. She was just finishing her book and preparing to move onto a new one when a shadow fell across her. Looking up, she saw Spock in his own beachwear, looking out at the sea.

“You know, you standing there defeats the purpose of my lounging in the sun.” He looked down at her and she gave a grin. With a murmured apology, Spock stepped to one side, letting the sunlight hit her skin once more. Jeffries and Nirin waved to Spock, who gave a perfunctory nod in response before laying out a towel and taking a seat next to her.

“Why are you not playing with them?” His voice held nothing but his standard curiosity and she held up her PADD.

“Reading. There are so many books and I only have so much time.” He gave a small smile at that and nodded, leaning back to relax. Something occurred to her, and she leaned over to look down at him. “Hey, Spock, do Vulcans get sunburn?” He nodded.

“We are capable of having our skin damaged by the sun, but given the nature of our home planet, it is exceptionally rare.” She nodded, taking that information in.

“So, if you did get a sunburn, my poor human skin would basically melt off too?” He gave a small smirk.

“Maybe not melt off, per se. It would be a fairly dangerous situation, however.”

“Who’s getting into dangerous situations now?” Turning to the other side, she smiled as Chris joined them, pulling another lounger over. “I would think we would be saving those for work.”

“Of course, Captain. We’re staying perfectly safe here.” Anna gave him a warm smile. “Spock and I were discussing some interesting racial traits of Vulcans.” Chris raised a brow, looking around her to Spock. The Vulcan excused himself quietly, moving to join the Ensigns as they had started to build sandcastles.

“How are you feeling?” Chris’ voice was softer, and she turned to face him.

“Better. Thank you again.” Her smile matched his own, and she got comfortable in the sun. “How was your meeting?” The smile left and a grimace formed, causing her to chuckle. “That bad?”

“I’m just not a fan of having to work on shore leave. I’m not sure why they needed me here to facilitate bringing these people into the Federation.” He shook his head, letting his gaze move over her. “You look very nice, by the way.”

“Thank you.” Her smile grew as she took in his swim shorts and t-shirt. “So do you.” Nodding towards everyone else, her smile turned to a smirk. “Not a big sandcastle guy?”

“Oh, no. Besides, I much prefer the company here.” There was the quickest wink and she chuckled. They laid together under the sun, Pike content to simply relax as Anna read her next book. A few hours in, Anna sat up to stretch, looking around the beach before pulling up the activities list on her PADD. “Bored?” Pike’s voice was a bit lower, the deep sound of relaxation coloring his tone.

“I wouldn’t have joined Starfleet if I was fond of laying around all day.” That drew a chuckle from him as she scrolled through. There were several hikes listed, as well as the beach activities and spa treatments. One hike in particular caught her attention; it was certainly harder than the hike to the waterfalls, but the payoff was a bird’s eye view of the resort where they were staying. She timed the hike in her head, deciding it was likely too long to pull off and be back in time for clubbing, so set it aside for later.

“We could catch another movie.” She glanced to him, noting his smirk. “Not that you saw much of the last one.” With a laugh, she nudged his arm as she stood, stretching fully.

“We could. Mine or yours?” Chris stood too, adjusting his t-shirt.

“Yours. Too many people are likely to come looking for me at mine.” It would be hard to do things the correct way if word spread around the ship that they were together. Nodding, Anna went to let her friends know she was off to catch a nap before their wild night, drawing a curious eyebrow from Spock. The Ensigns said their ‘see ya laters’ and she headed up to her room, not surprised that Chris had already left. It only took her a couple minutes to change into shorts and a tank top, unsurprised when the door chime went off a few moments later.

“Well, hello there.” She answered the door, stepping to one side to let Chris in. It looked like he hadn’t really changed, and she wondered what exactly he had gone to do as they moved towards the bed. As she climbed up, he set a new holo on the screen, moving next to her as it started. Like the night before, she slid under his arm and cuddled up to his side, relishing once again in the physical contact. Looking up at him, she took it all in, wondering just how long they could keep this up. What even was this? His gaze met her own.

“You know, you’re missing the holo.” His voice was a low rumble, sending a shiver down her back. They were close once more, and she knew it would take very little for her to press up and kiss him. He was right there, so why was she hesitating? Almost as though he could hear her internal battle, he shifted, sliding down more until they were nearly level, brushing a hand along her cheek before pressing his lips to hers. It was soft and sweet and just about everything she could have expected from Chris. She pressed as close as she could, one hand resting on his chest between them. It seemed to last forever, and yet was too short as they pulled away, both a little breathless. They looked at each other for a few more moments before his head dipped again, this kiss a little more firm as he pulled her as close as their bodies would allow. Anna’s head swam in the best possible way as her hands slid up, one resting on his shoulder and the other moving to bury in his hair. The holo droned on in the background, ignored by both parties as they learned about each other. Finally, they broke apart, more than a little breathless now as he pressed his forehead to hers.

“Wow.” She murmured, keeping her eyes closed to try and keep those sensations in the forefront of her memory. Chris gave a chuckle, his head twisting slightly against hers. “Are you sure?” She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze as best she could this close, needing him to see the question in her eyes. Was he sure that he wanted to risk this? That he wanted to choose the woman out of time as his companion on this journey? What about when it all ended, when they returned to Earth once their mission was complete?

“Yes.” His answer was definitive, no hesitation in his tone or his gaze. “Anna, I know what I’m doing. And I’m choosing this. Choosing you.” Her heart slammed in her chest as they laid there, watching each other as they tumbled headlong into this bold, new world. It had only taken six years, but it seemed that maybe she had finally found someone to ground her in this insane new future. She wasn’t going to be alone. The thought had her surging forward again, kissing him hard, wanting him to know what all of this meant to her. He returned the kiss with equal fervor, and she wondered if maybe she hadn’t been the only lonely one. They had each other now.


End file.
